This book qualitatively and quantitatively examines the relationships between the constructed environment, health and social vulnerability. It demonstrates that spatial disintegration is often intertwined with health and social inequalities, and therefore a multidisciplinary approach to urban health is essential in order to analyze the impact that psycho-social-environmental factors can have on objective, and perceived health and to investigate the inequalities in healthcare and medical assistance processes. Empirical relationships have been observed between urban environment, social vulnerability and health in different contexts, however there is still a lack of standardized tools that allow us to gain a clear understanding of how health inequalities and daily life are generated. In order to address this issue, a national network of active research groups has been created to draft and develop a prototypical analysis infrastructure to facilitate empirical studies aimed at shedding light on the complex relationships between health disparities, socio-environmental and economic distress, as well as personal and collective health. Given the interest in achieving meaningful, fair and lasting solutions to health inequalities, and the current lack of an analytical system, there is the need for new multidisciplinary approaches oriented toward the quality of life within a eco-social model of health. Providing an overview of the methodological approaches discussed, this book will appeal to researchers. At the same time it allows those working in local and government social care, healthcare and administrative institutions to gain insights into best practices in urban contexts.

This book qualitatively and quantitatively examines the relationships between the constructed environment, health and social vulnerability. It demonstrates that spatial disintegration is often intertwined with health and social inequalities, and therefore a multidisciplinary approach to urban health is essential in order to analyze the impact that psycho-social-environmental factors can have on objective, and perceived health and to investigate the inequalities in healthcare and medical assistance processes. Empirical relationships have been observed between urban environment, social vulnerability and health in different contexts, however there is still a lack of standardized tools that allow us to gain a clear understanding of how health inequalities and daily life are generated. In order to address this issue, a national network of active research groups has been created to draft and develop a prototypical analysis infrastructure to facilitate empirical studies aimed at shedding light on the complex relationships between health disparities, socio-environmental and economic distress, as well as personal and collective health. Given the interest in achieving meaningful, fair and lasting solutions to health inequalities, and the current lack of an analytical system, there is the need for new multidisciplinary approaches oriented toward the quality of life within a eco-social model of health. Providing an overview of the methodological approaches discussed, this book will appeal to researchers. At the same time it allows those working in local and government social care, healthcare and administrative institutions to gain insights into best practices in urban contexts.

The book explores approaches, methods and best practices related to health promotion in urban areas. Thanks to the increasingly tight connection among urbanism, architecture, bioethics, anthropology, sociology and medicine, we are now reaching an "ecological" health perspective. This new viewpoint has pushed the study of social health determinants and their unequal distribution in the population, resulting in the study of the generation of structurally-determined differences in health and healthcare. There is the need to make use of a unitary framework in order to understand the intertwining of multidimensional dynamics that define the urban context and the need to disseminate, enhance, and improve existing interventions in the field. This volume consequently results in the discussion and comparison of contents and methods to be implemented in multidisciplinary interventions related to the promotion of community-based healthcare and health in the urban setting. The book represents a useful opportunity for scientific growth and international sharing of methodologies that can help develop a common language and approach to be shared across different academic spheres. This is not only an exchange of knowledge among different fields of study, but also the creation of foundations for creating an increasingly complex network of scientific culture and operational collaborations to transfer knowledge and attract academic and public attention, influencing decision-makers and gaining advocacy accordingly.